NCCU News

Dr. Wanda Fleming Lester Selected to Serve as Interim Dean, School of Business

Published: Sunday, February 16, 2014

Wanda Fleming Lester, Ph.D., has been selected to serve as the interim dean of the NCCU School of Business. The announcement was made by NCCU Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Johnson Akinleye. Lester begins at NCCU on Monday, February 17.

Lester is an accomplished senior level administrator who has more than 15 years of experience in higher education, as well as an additional 20 years of experience in the private sector and at non-profit entities. Most recently, Lester served as vice provost for Academic Affairs and Undergraduate Programs at North Carolina A&T State University, where she was charged with developing policies, processes and fundraising opportunities to improve undergraduate programs and overall student success. She had direct oversight responsibility for pre-collegiate transition, and undergraduate enrollment and transition. Prior to serving in the Office of the Provost, Lester was associate dean at N.C. A&T’s School of Business and Economics, where she was recognized for her work to support the maintenance of the school’s AACSB accreditation and development of a state-of-the-art Financial Trading Room. She has extensive entrepreneurial and public and private accounting experience. Lester has also served as assistant professor and director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development at Norfolk State University, and assistant professor of management at Florida A&M University.

Lester earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting with a minor in economics from Florida A&M University. She holds a Ph.D. in strategic management with a minor in management information systems from Florida State University.

"A search committee will be formed and a national search will be undertaken for the next dean," said Akinleye. "As one of NCCU’s signature programs, we are acutely focused on securing an individual who will position the School of Business as a center for excellence in higher education that is also focused on training talented students and producing highly skilled business professionals."